CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Elizabeth "Sweetheart" Lau and close family friend Melinda Gaborno reacted to farewell wishes from a passer-by at the Sweetheart's Lei Shop in Chinatown. The Lau family plans to close the shop to dedicate their lives to their Christian faith.

Long-time Chinatown
lei shop to close

After 23 year of making Hawaii's symbol of aloha for brides, beauty queens and visitors to the islands, Elizabeth "Sweetheart" Lau, 79, will close Sweetheart's Lei Shop in Chinatown later this month.

The closing marks the end of an era for the Sweetheart's branch of the lei-making Lau family, which started making the flowery neckwear 50 years ago at Fook Shing's Barber Shop on Maunakea Street.

Whether anyone will take over the shop is unclear. Several people have expressed interest, Lau said. But, she said, "It's up to the landlord."

One thing is clear: The name of Sweetheart's Lei Shop and the goodwill it embodies will retire along with Lau, who says it is time to move on.

Lau said she has spent years building the business, gaining a reputation for quality and creating an atmosphere where customers would feel comfortable talking story. Along the way, Lau said, she has had support from her four sons and daughter, who helped with the business while working other jobs.

"When I opened up the shop, I prayed for the shop, and the Lord blessed me," she said. "And now that I'm closing, I want to take (the name) with me."

As it has in so many industries, globalization has changed the lei business. In the past, Lau said, virtually all of her leis were made by hand at the shop. Although Lau still has a five-woman crew working a couple of days a week stringing fragrant plumeria, tuberose and ginger blossoms in a back room, many of the 30 or so varieties she sells are strung overseas.

As overseas production has grown, leis have become increasingly available in supermarkets, drug stores and other outlets.

Chinatown also has had an explosion of lei shops. When she started 23 years ago, Lau said, there were just three shops, including Cindy's Lei and Flower Shoppe, owned by Lau's sister-in-law Cindy Lau. Now, Lau said, there are at least nine nearby.

Nonetheless, Lau indicated there's still money to be made in leis. Although Lau declined to share revenue numbers or the terms of her lease, she said there was plenty of interest among people wanting to take over the business.

"We have four offers, four who want to come in," she said.

Also going into retirement with Lau and the Sweetheart's Lei Shop name is Angel Yamashita, Lau's daughter, who helps run the business.

"I want to spend more time with the Lord, reading his word," Yamashita said. "It's hard to give up, but the Lord says it's time."

Lau said she will miss the best parts of her job: spending time with her regular customers and working with soft, fragrant flowers that carry elemental symbolism.

"To give a flower or lei is an expression of love," she said.

But, Lau said, it's time to move on.

"We were blessed, we had a good run," said Lau, who plans to spend more time working with the Church of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Kaimuki. "Now it's time to give back."